The Alfheim Project
by EmilieManson'sTeaTime
Summary: After being attacked and orphaned, Hermina and her brother Alfbern are stranded on earth as children. 87 years later, Hermina works as a barista that Steve Roger's frequents and her brother as a contract killer, so when they are attacked again, Captain America steps in. With the help of her childhood friend Thor, the Avengers and an assassin, the two siblings will finally go home.


"I dunno Steve" Bucky murmured as they approached the little cafe, "are you sure it's a good idea? Why don't I just wait in the car.." he mumbled as Steve parked. "No, c'mon Buck you've haven't had an incident in six months, you'll be fine. Besides, they have a cute barista here with the funny colored hair" Steve told him as they got out of the car. Bucky ran his fingers through his hair, "what does that have anything to do with anything?" he asked. "Don't lie, you think girls with the weird hair colors are hot. I've seen you" Steve said walking up to him.

"Hi, welcome to The Drip!" a girl called from behind the counter as the door opened to the wide cafe, a long bar ran along one of the walls, and plush chairs and tables dotted the expanse of the building, from behind the cash register a girl with short purple hair smiled at them. Bucky looked away, rubbing his metal arm nervously.

"Steve, it's good to see you! Who's your friend?" the girl asked, hugging Steve across the counter. "It's good to see you too, Mina. This is Bucky, we grew up together" Steve said patting a nervous Bucky on the back. Bucky murmured his hello, eyes cautiously flicking up to the girl's face, before quickly looking at the floor again. "He's shy" Steve said turning back to Mina, "when do you get off shift?" Steve asked. "In a few minutes, I'll take your orders and then go sit with you guys if you want to wait a little bit longer" Mina said blowing air towards her forehead, using the air to fix a gap in her bangs, she smiled again.

"Ya, that's great actually. I'll take a bagel" Steve told her handing her his credit card, "what'll it be for you, sir?" Mina asked turning to Bucky. Bucky mumbled something about not wanting anything under his breath, Mina raised an eyebrow. "You sure? Because you look like you could use a cookie" Mina said tapping her arm. Bucky flushed and nodded in agreement as she smiled at him and handed Steve his card back. "I'll be right there guys" she said walking back into the kitchen.

Steve led Bucky to a small table in a corner of the room, ushering Bucky into the corner chair he sat on the left side. "She's really sweet, y'know" Steve told his friend. "Ya, she's cute too" he agreed, before his eyes widened at what he just said. Steve chuckled, "I told you, I told you that you would like her" he said as Bucky leaned forward on the table, hands folded and head tilted towards his friend. "Yknow, Steve, I remember when it was _me_ who was setting you with dates" he laughed. Steve smiled, "Ya, but looks like I'm the better matchmaker, considering you got so nervous you could barely talk" he laughed leaning back.

"Hey, so you do smile" Mina said as she appeared suddenly, causing Bucky to nearly jump out of his seat as she set down three plates. "Everything Bagel for Steve, Extra chocolate chip cookie for the shy friend and a muffin and a coffee for me" she said labeling all the food. Bucky smiled at her, "thank you" he said taking a bite. "Your welcome, I get weird looks for how I look, too. I know when someone needs a cookie" she said gently patting his metallic arm. Bucky, nearly invisibly, stiffened at her touch, meeting her eyes though he smiled.

"At least you can alter your appearance" he said softly, taking another bite as she took a sip of her coffee. "Mm, nope. Tattoos are permanent, got em all down my back and arms" she said folding up her long sleeve to her shoulder. Bucky smiled and laughed, "I guess you do know after all" he said finishing off the cookie with a smile as she chuckled and rolled her sleeve down.

"Hey, I get you!" Steve said past mouthfuls of bagel, Mina stuck her tongue out. "Please, Captain-shoulder-hip-ratio-of-a-dorito, I'm varying shades of sure I know why people can't take their eyes off you" Mina laughed setting down her cup. "Oh, Buchanan Barnes you help me out here" Steve said to his friend, swatting the laughing Bucky's arm.

"Buchanan? Have fun in high school with that name?" Mina nearly choked on her coffee trying to get those words past her lips as quick as she could. "Hey, you can talk 'Hermina'" Steve pointed, Mina clicked her tongue against her teeth. "It's a strong German name, Hermina Erna Hiltraud, I could give you a rough meaning via taking apart the words and finding their roots but suffice it to say my name pretty much screams 'walking battle beserker'" she enlightened Bucky.

"Hermina's a hell of a lot better than Buchanan" Bucky smirked. "Ay, look whose warmed up to me" Mina smiled, the bell on the door rang as someone called Hermina back to the register for a question. "She is really cute Steve, was this Nat's idea or yours?" Bucky asked him. "It was a group effort" Steve said leaning back in his chair smiling.

Mina leaned over the counter to point something out to another worker when the new patron tapped her shoulder. Steve didn't like the look of him, his tattoos covered every inch of visible skin, he wore a very nice suit, but his facial tattoos made him into some sort of zombie boy or something. Steve didn't like him, and neither did Bucky. Mina turned to him, then looked around rapidly and pulled him to the side.

The boys watched as they heatedly conversed, Mina jabbing the man's chest with her finger for emphasis on something before he finally gave into whatever it was. The man slipped out of the door dragging Mina behind him as Bucky and Steve rose to follow them. "Keep your distance" Bucky advised as they tuned into Mina and that strange man's conversation. "What language are they speaking?" Steve asked as they trailed the two, Bucky shook his head. "I don't know but it's not German that's for sure" he said as they turned into the alleyway with their subjects.

Suddenly the man pushed Mina to the ground and pointed a gun in her direction, Bucky ran up to him and knocked him to the ground. Hands on the man's throat as someone grabbed him from behind. "Alfie!" Mina screamed as another figure jumped into the scene, and another, and another. Steve tore the man off of Bucky's back and the man, 'Alfie', shot another one in the head.

Alfie grabbed Mina's arm as they took off running down the alley, several creatures and two super soldiers chasing after them in a frenzy. Bucky smashed one of the creature's head in, green goo sticking to his arm. "Steve what the hell are these things?" he shouted as Steve broke another one's back. "I don't know!" he responded as Alfie and Mina suddenly stopped, Mina dropping to her knees with her hands behind her head.

"Oh my god, don't shoot!" she screamed as Alfie turned and shot the remained creatures before returning to the figure in front of them. The thing stepped out of the shadows with a giant weapon in it's hands, some sort of firearm, Steve guessed. "Hey, Steve, throw me" Bucky said as they stood a few paces behind Mina and Alfie. "What?" Steve turned to him, Bucky motioned to his metal arm brushing his hair out of his face, "Look, I might be able to knock it out, then we can take those two to Stark tower to find out what the hell is going on and what those things down there are" he explained, when Steve opened his mouth in protest Bucky threw his hands up in the air, "Do you have a better idea?"

Bucky crashed into the large figure and knocked it to the ground, and began wailing on it with all the force in that metal arm of his, Mina looked up to Alfie and nearly pushed him into a side alley as the giant stood up again, throwing Bucky down the Alley. Steve stood there and looked from the beast to Mina and to the beast again before grabbing Mina by the waist and throwing her over his shoulder. "Truly sorry about this" he apologized to her, "Alfie go! It's in my flat, find it before they do!" she shouted over her shoulder as the man disappeared. Bucky whipped out his cell phone as he got up, running just behind Steve as he dialed the number. "Hey Nat?" he asked as the receiver picked up.

"Ya? Bucky why are you breathing so hard?" she asked him, he looked to his chest, pulling his shirt up and inspecting the damage quickly he grimaced. "Cracked rib, you don't happen to have a chopper handy do you?" he asked turning the sharp corner and nearly losing his footing, his hand catching himself as the monster slid behind him, pavement coming up in sheets and smashing nearby buildings and cars. "I'll be right there, do you need back up?" Nat asked him as he collided with Steve's back and Mina's knees. "Nat what does it sound li-" a loud crash sounded behind them.

"Hey Nat, I'll see you when you get here" he said hanging up and looking at the scene before him. A large man stood to the side of the creature, long blond hair bearing a hammer and long cape. "Do you know this guy?" Bucky said as Steve put down Mina who looked at the man and sighed. "Ya, he's a good guy" Steve said walking up to the man. "Captain!" came the blond's booming voice as he grabbed the cap in a hug, "Thor!" Steve returned. "That is the 'god of thunder'?" Bucky asked Mina, "yup" she said rubbing her temples. "I take it you know him too" he asked her again, she scowled, pinching the bridge of her nose and nodded, "yup."

"Hermina?" Thor called out to her in confusion, pushing away Steve. "Thor! long time no see!" Mina confirmed with mock enthusiasm. "Do not be angry with me, we thought you for dead" Thor said, standing close to her. "Ya, well I almost was. No thanks to you and your irate father" she said venomously, Bucky backed up from the two fighters. "What's going on here Steve?" he asked, Steve shrugged and watched as well. "Do not speak ill of the Allfather, we searched for you but your village was-" Mina cut him off, "destroyed, ya. I know. My brother got me out, but we may not have lost our family if you and your guards had protected our village like you promised" she shouted pushing his chest, Thor stumbled back.

"Alfbern survived as well? Your clan was not erased?" Thor asked coming closer to her again. "No, we are still here. But who knows for how long the Dark Elves have found use as you can see from their beserker" Mina motioned to the charred body of what appeared to be a man with animal features. "But Loki and I destroyed the Ether and vanquished the Elves, this could not be there work Hermina" he reasoned, Mina smiled up at the god. "Beserkers do not need ether to fuel their powers" she reminded him, Thor smiled at her widely. "Will the head of the Hiltraud clan deny me an embrace and friendship?" he asked her, Mina sighed opening her arms only to be scooped up by the large warrior. "We do not deny you and your friendship" she said as Thor set her down, "it is only your brother's we reject" she said. "Fear not, for Loki died in our last battle against the Dark Elves" Thor said grimly, his face falling.

Mina patted Thor's shoulder, "I'm sorry, but my mother did warn you" she said, then she looked at Steve who watched the two of them converse, his brow knit in confusion. "The captain does not know?" Thor asked you, you shook your head. "We've known each other for a year and a half now, I never even told him. Don't know how, 'hey, Steve, I'm not actually human I'm an elf from the Alfheim, I grew up with Thor and Loki and my brother is a contract killer'. Somehow I don't think it would go down well" she said shrugging.

Thor put a hand on her shoulder. "I have faith in you my friend, you must tell him and the man your heritage, then we shall find Alfbern" Thor instructed. "Ya, thanks" Mina said shrugging him off, hands in pockets she approached him. "So" she said kicking the beserker's foot, "so" Steve replied.

"You know Thor?"

"Grew up with him."

"Your not human?"

"Light Elf, I come from a world called Alfheim, it lies between Vanaheim and Midgard."

"Oh..so, are you gonna turn into one of those things in the alley or something, y'know" Steve said kicking the dead beserker, "like this?"

"Not unless I've had enough time to prepare for beserker mode, I-"

Mina was cut off by the sounds of a chopper and Natasha's voice over an intercom; "You guys oka-what the hell is that?" she called down to them. Steve gave her a thumbs up, then turned to Mina. "Those things in the alley, what where they?" and asked as the chopper landed. Mina looked around then back to him, "I'll tell you once we are someplace secure, and then we find my brother, deal?" she asked him. It was Bucky that spoke next.

"Deal."


End file.
